Reunited, Happily and Painfully
by MoltresFeather
Summary: Ash is in the Kanto Pokemon Championship, thanks to re-entry, but how will he overcome his final opponent, when he doesn’t know his opponent’s identity? AAML/Pokeshipping, First-fic, battle sequence later on.
1. Chapter 1: The Letter

**Reunited, Happily and Painfully**

A/N: Hey all, this is my first attempt at a fanfiction, so I'll need reviews of all kinds, flame if you want but be gentle. REALLY gentle.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. Period. It is owned by Nintendo, Creatures, GAME FREAK, etc etc. If I did own it I wouldn't be writing **FAN**-fictions. Derr-ka-derr. That said, let's get this thing going.

Ash: 18

Misty: 18

Brock: 20

Delia: 40

Prof. Oak: 62

Tracey: 19

May: 15

Max: 8

Gary: 18

Richie: 18

???: 42

**Chapter One: The Letter**

Cerulean City is known for its beautiful skies, perfect temperatures, and the winding route that courses through the mountains north of the city that eventually leads to Bill's Lighthouse. But it is now mostly known for the Cerulean City Gym, east of the Pokemon Center, atop a small hill. It had a rather large Dewgong sculptured above the entrance, and it had a retractable roof that domed over the pool area. It has grass all the way around it that was cleanly mowed every few days. Although it used to be run by the three Sensational Sisters, Lily, Violet and Daisy, housing swimming and water shows of the many, it is now one of the most competitive and organized gyms in all of the Kanto Region.

As the sun beamed down on the city, like any other hot July day, an 18 year old redhead was stirring after a long and much deserved sleep. Her name was Misty Waterflower, who, although wasn't a stranger to traveling, hadn't been out of her hometown in almost two years because of her sisters leaving. Her travels with her best friends had ended because of her sisters winning a trip around the world. Since then she's been running the gym by herself, as best she could. And after three straight weeks of nothing but gym battles, training and Pokemon League affairs, it's no wonder she woke up at around 12:30 pm. She knew that she had become much better at pokemon battling, however. And she's been learning about new water pokemon traits, features and abilities each day because of battling alone.

As she stirred, she flopped on her back. Her short, fiery-crimson hair was strayed all along her face and her bed sheets were rather messy from a long night's sleep. Her body ached from these last few weeks, so lately she's been slow moving every morning.

Her bedroom was a little typical, but not really; Tentacool/Tentacruel bedsheets, a Starmie alarm clock, and next to it, a picture of her and Ash sitting on a cliff that overlooked a night-time Saffron City, the sun barely done setting over the city. It was taken quite a while back, on her first journey with Ash, when they traveled through the Kanto region. She figured either Brock or Pikachu took it (She's seen Pikachu actually take rather amazing pictures). She also had dark blue carpeting in her room, a 28in HDTV, and shelving over the TV packed with Blu-Ray movies and anime collections. She also had a few posters, mostly of Water Pokemon, but her favorite was a wall scroll hung on her door of an artistic portrayal of Ash. He looked dark, but determined. His name was stroked across the bottom in Japanese. The intense katakana was black, outlined in bright red. (Yes, by now there's merchandise out that portrays Ash, especially in Kanto). There was also a poster of herself on the wall, one of the only photos of herself she likes. Her poster was brightly colored in blue and yellow, with all the water pokemon ever discovered edging the poster.

She finally glanced at her alarm clock, which never went off. 12:37 p.m.. She realized she had slept in extremely late, and started panicking, at first getting out a startled jump. (You know how it is when you sleep in.) The latest she's waken up these past few weeks was 8 a.m., how could a gym leader like herself become so lazy overnight like that? Soon enough, her mind finally turned on and she realized it was her first day off in almost a month, and because of the huge tournament going on at the Indigo Plateau, this was the busiest time of the year for the League, as many last-minute trainers tried to get their last few badges before the tournament's start. The cut-off day of entries was yesterday, giving the exhausted Misty a break. She flopped backwards, her head hitting the pillow yet again, breathing heavily from the near heart-attack she just had. "Man, I really do need rest..." she grumbled to herself.

She still decided to get up, since she was so used to it. Misty stretched as far as her limbs could reach, still laying down. She slowly slipped her feet into Seal slippers, rubbing her eyes. She then made her way to the bathroom, and put on an ice blue robe over her pajamas, that was made of thin, velvety Vaporeon fur (A/N: FAKE fur. No PokePoaching in this fic.). She then sluggishly made her way down the stairway that led to the pool area, and made her way out the main door, to the mailbox outside the door. The sudden sunlight made her whole body wince. "I must've slept pretty hard..." she thought to herself. "But I needed it…" She grabbed the mail and went back inside.

The usual stuff; bills, junk, more bills, and a newsletter from the Official Pokemon League Kanto Bureau, reminding all gym leaders that the day before was the cutoff day for league entry, and to discontinue official battling until further noticed. This relieved Misty; even though she already knew about it, it was settling to her that she got the official statement from the Bureau. She even got a couple fan letters in the rather thick stack. The last one, however, caught her off guard.

It was from Ash Ketchum, the boy she had traveled with in all their journeys together throughout Kanto, the Orange Islands and Johto. From the boy she randomly fished out of a lake in the outskirts of Pallet Town. From the one person she truly cared about, yet had no idea why for a long time, at least until his first trip to the Indigo Plateau. She knew that he'd be participating in this huge tournament, but it didn't really sink in until she realized how close the tournament really was to starting. She headed up to her room, plopped on her bed and opened it, wondering just what it was that he wanted to say.

_Dear Misty,_

_How've you been? I hope everything's running well at the gym, I know you've been busy for awhile. I just hope you get this letter as soon as possible. Everyone told me to say Hi for them too._

_But first, I'm really sorry I haven't contacted you in a while… these last two months I decided to go to the Hoenn region for some extreme training, and I haven't had time for much of anything else except eating. Plus, I know how you've been busy with all the last minute trainers trying to enter this year's tournament._

_I'm sure you know that I'll be participating in the Indigo League, and I'd really appreciate it if you could be here to support me, just like the old days. I found out that if I already have eight badges from a region, I can enter the tournament every year without trying to re-earn them, so I figured I'd give this Indigo thing one more shot (This time, Charizard is obeying me, so I'm really gonna give it my all this time around)._

_It would mean a lot to me if you could make it, and I know that this sounds kinda weird coming from me, but I don't know if I can make it all the way to the end without you there. If you can't make it because of the gym, that's ok, don't stress yourself about it and I'll completely understand... If you can make it, great! Everyone's here already (well, except my mom...) and you're the only one missing._

_Just, don't work yourself too hard. Chances are I'll make it pretty far anyways. I haven't trained so hard that I couldn't walk for a day, but that actually happened last week, so I can't say that now! There's no way I can lose this time… I'm actually hoping to have a rematch with Richie, to show what my Charizard can actually do._

_I really hope you can make it. The finals are held in a week and a half, and my status will be on the news, since I'm a local and all. Don't worry, I'll make it far enough for you to make it here._

_Yours Truly, and best regards—_

_Ash Ketchum_

Misty reread the letter several times, feeling both happiness and guilt. Happy that Ash finally was able to communicate with her, and that he let her know how much he cared of her presence… yet guilty that she's barely kept in touch with him, and that she won't even be able to make it in the first week to see his matches... The league requires a gym leader's presence at all times during the week after the cutoff day of entry into the tournament, for basically gym upkeep and phone calls. "Stupid league guidelines..." she mumbled.

Lately, every time Misty thought of Ash, she would forget all of the frustrations and poisons from that day that had plagued her. She'd get an odd feeling in her stomach every once in a while as well, as she thought about him more and more. He's been training so hard for the previous 2 months, and she was so proud of him for putting as much effort as he did into this year's league preparations. 'And _he's_ been training as well…" she thought to herself. Ash e-mailed her a recent picture of him, Brock and Dawn in Sinnoh, and she definitely noticed that he's grown a bit. He looked stronger, taller and much more in shape than the last time she saw him. He was definitely not a dorky kid trainer anymore (not that that was bad).

And now after these hectic two months she still can't let him know that she won't be able to come for almost all of his tournament time. And even if she could, how could she make it to the Plateau in a three day period after the week was over? It takes her almost a week just to travel to Pallet. How could she possibly make it to Indigo Plateau?

Suddenly, an idea passed through her head. She quickly grabbed the phone and dialed the number to the Pokemon League Bureau to hastily request a two-week-period of time off, with panic in her voice, due to a family emergency that happened recently in the Hoenn Region. Usually they were rather strict on sudden requests off for the gym leaders in the region, but because of the season's end, and a little thanks to her "Misty charm," she finally persuaded the agreement to fulfill her request. She hung up and muttered "The things I have to do to support my friends…"

Within an hour she was dressed in slim blue jeans that flared at the bottom, a blue t-shirt, red converse hi-tops, and a pink hoodie sweater, along with her familiar red bag full of a few days of clothes. She hastily put her hair into her usual side-ponytail, got out her bike and locked the door. She then started pedaling hard, not to the Indigo Plateau, but to Pallet Town. _"Don't worry Ash, I'll make it…"_ she thought to herself as she left.


	2. Chapter 2: The Trip

Okay guys, here's chapter 2 finally. This one's a little longer, originally I didn't even have this when I first wrote the story on paper, but I felt I had to write it for details. It's a little lengthy I think, so try to bear with it as the pacing changes a little much in this one.

Sorry for the delay, Please read and review, this is my first story after all. And thanks to all the reviewers on my first chapter, they encouraged me to keep going!

I do not own pokemon. Misty would still be in the show and the voice actors never would've changed. Again, it's a **_FAN_** fiction.

**Chapter 2: The Trip**

Misty left her gym at about 1:30 or so that day, pedaling as hard as she could. She figured that at the speed she was going, she'd be entering Pewter in a couple days, because of Mt. Moon being on the way there. When dusk started to fall, she decided to stop for the night beside the route she was on. She was exhausted from her pedaling, her water was almost gone, and she felt like a Grimer.

She found a nice grassy spot outside the cave's entrance and decided where to put her sleeping bag. _"At this rate I should be in Pallet in a few days…" _she thought. Her stomach suddenly made a rather loud sound, as if demanding her to feed it. She then realized that she completely forgot to pack even a few snacks after rushing that morning. She had a mini-heart attack, until she realized she actually brought money with her. "First thing after I get out of that cave, I'll get some food in Pewter." she said to herself, as she got out her sleeping bag and rolled it out, preparing for a night that would probably be sleepless.

_Meanwhile, at the Indigo Plateau Pokemon Center that night…_

At the same time Misty was hungering for munchies, a boy with long, scraggly black hair and an old, beat-up Pokemon Expo cap covering it was munching his hunger away with his three traveling companions at the Indigo Pokemon Center, one of the largest centers in the world. All centers and restaurants were offering free all-you-can-eat buffets for the tournament participants, making the boy feel like he was in heaven. His friends, however, weren't eating nearly as much, since they weren't competing.

His name was Ash Ketchum, an eighteen year old boy from Pallet Town, whose determination and perseverance you could see a mile away (along with his hunger…). His friends with him were Brock, a twenty-year-old Pokemon Breeder from Pewter City, who had been with Ash since he had gotten the very first badge of his journey. Alongside them were May and Max, from Littleroot Town, who, although the newest members of their group, quickly became close friends with Ash and Brock. May, now fourteen, strived to become the world's greatest coordinator, and Max, now eight years old, had the same dream as Ash. He got more and more excited about it every day too; he would soon be old enough to get a Pokemon License and his first starting Pokemon. (A/N: Sorry, no Dawn in the group, I'm not familiar enough with her to write about her… haven't seen the show since the voice actors changed.)

"Wha thime ith it Bwock?" Ash managed to intelligently get out as he tried to get down a huge helping of spaghetti, almost choking. Some sauce flew and landed next to Brock's plate, almost going into his glass of soda.

"Watch it Ash," Brock got out after swallowing some chicken. He looked at his Poketch. "About 9:00" he said. "After this I say we hit the hay. The opening ceremonies start tomorrow."

May and Max nodded. "Yeah Ash, no more staying up late. Remember, tomorrow you start training one last time before the ceremonies as well, so you'll be getting up early" May added. She then took a big bite of her burger.

"-Gulp- Yeah, that's true…" Ash got out after drinking some soda. The group had just arrived to the Plateau that day, and without any food all day, they were eating as much as they could, no matter how much sleep they needed to get.

After finishing their dinner at almost 10:00 (wow, they ate a LOT) they decided to leave their Pokemon with Nurse Joy before getting their rooms. But before any of this occurred, Brock approached her. _"Oh no…"_ thought Max. Brock took her hands in his, like always.

"My goodness Nurse Joy, you look magnificently stunning this evening… Instead of healing the Pokemon, I'd be delighted of you could heal my tattered soul with your gracious presence…--OW!"

Max had him by the ear yet again, dragging him to his room and throwing him in. "There, and stay in." Max said as he closed the door.

"Goodnight to you too Max..." Brock replied. Ash just looked on at the whole incident, while giving Joy all of their Pokemon, as it reminded him of someone else who used to do that, and do it well too. Except, she also had a mallet, making her more threatening, and making him cringe a little just thinking about it.

Lately he's been thinking about her a lot, and especially now, before the tournament. How she looked lately, especially; her fiery red hair was sometimes down whenever they were on the videophone, slightly over her brow, which he enjoyed for some reason. Her eyes were the same Cerulean Blue they were two years ago, and he thought her attire changed for the better. She'd gotten a little taller, and more shapely as well.

Then he looked at himself… same blue and white shirt over a black one, same jeans and shoes, same tattered cap. He was hoping he'd changed a little lately, but his hope soon faded.

But he felt guilty. Sure, she could just watch him on TV easily, for free and without traveling anywhere, but for some reason he felt that he needed her there through it all, or at least through the end if he were to make it that far. He almost felt selfish sending her that letter, trying to get her to come, just to watch one of her friends battle and lose under pressure. The thought that he was really just interfering with the work of a gym leader, especially _her_ work, was unwanted, although he felt like he was doing just that..

"_But, maybe she_ is_ coming…"_ he thought to himself as he wandered down the hall to his room. He was hoping that she had taken it as a compliment, as a good gesture from an old friend, and not as an offensive smug request. Mostly, he was hoping the letter even made it. The past couple of weeks the phone lines had been out all over Western Kanto, and he had lost her e-mail address. Just his luck to hope on a letter to get there on time when all else already failed.

"Goodnight guys" Ash said to the group. They all replied back as he reached his room. He entered, then shut and locked the door. He made his way to the window; it had a rather large seat on the windowsill (A/N: I forget what those are called..) and he sat on it, gazing at the stars, wondering if she'll make it by the end of the week. _"I have to win, to stay in it, all the way, for her…"_ He thought to himself. The last thing he wants is her arriving for the final round, at the last minute, and then losing right there. Or worse, losing before she even gets there.

----

By Mt. Moon, Misty was gazing at the same sky, wondering the same thing. She couldn't bear to miss any of Ash's matches, but at this rate she might not see him until the Semifinals, maybe even the Final Round. "You'd better have trained your ass off Ash Ketchum…" she mumbled. "If you didn't I won't be able to see you."

After thinking for a while longer, she realized she would have to bike through Viridian Forest after going through Pewter. "Crap…" she said to herself. This would add a day and a half to her trip, and also would add some time to make good acquaintances with some of her favorite bug Pokemon. She cringed as a huge shiver went down her spine. Her body tightened as she tried to sleep, attempting to smash all the bugs in her head with her mallet. Along with the peppers and carrots she despised. She also made a mental note to pedal her legs off each day, to try to make it to Pallet sooner. Hopefully his mom would still be there when she arrived, or else she'd be screwed.

Her thoughts soon drifted to Ash. He's all she's been thinking about lately. Ever since they met he's always been there for her somehow, and he had shown her that determination and confidence alone can get you pretty far, even if your head would swell up like a sponge in the process. Many of his "off-the-top-of-the-head" battle techniques were used by Misty during gym battles, and most were successful, although one time resulted in a huge crack in the pool. And on some nights during their ventures, they would talk for hours in front of the fire, or by the nearby lake, about Pokemon, how the day was, or more personal things. She felt that that's what she missed most from traveling, opening up to him when she couldn't to anyone else. They fought a lot, but she felt that she trusted him with her life as well. These mixed up feelings had been getting to Misty for some time now, hoping they'd be resolved somehow once she sees him again.

The next day, Misty breezed through the mountain. Since she trained there so much lately, she was very familiar with the path, where not to go and which corners to turn. She was only in there for a couple hours before reaching the exit. She pedaled harder as she saw Pewter appear in the distance.

By the time she reached Pewter, it was almost 6 pm…. she was starving after not eating for almost two days, so she rushed to the Pokemon Center to heal her Pokemon, and to eat as well.

She sat in the cafeteria with her tray full of food, notcing that only a few other people were there. Nurse Joy turned on the TV sets, revealing the images of the Opening Ceremonies of the tournament, just in time to witness the hoards of trainers appear in the main Battle Arena. "Wow, there's a lot of trainers…" She said to herself before gouging into her BLT. She noticed a few already; Richie was there, who was an old friend of Ash and Misty from Ash's first attempt at the tournament. Harrison was also there, who Ash defeated in the Silver Conference to win that tournament. And of course Gary, who had that same smug look on his face, although he had gotten nicer lately. She also noticed a few other trainers that Ash had faced during his adventures and tournaments.

She finally saw him, standing near the front of the stairway that led to the platform which would soon hold the Moltres flame. But she didn't see Pikachu with him at all, which struck her as odd. She figured maybe it was at the Pokemon Center. Even from that far-off camera view, he looked like he had grown up a little. Misty smiled as she watched him on TV.

The announcer recognized the runner that held the Moltres flame torch as he made his way to the platform. He finally reached the top, and lit the huge dish, setting the entire thing ablaze. At this point, five jets flew through the air over the stadium, against a dusked, starlit sky. This was quickly followed by a huge fireworks display.

The TV cameras moved to various trainers; one soon moved to Ash, catching him take his hat off while staring up. The camera moved to behind him, but still watching him. He then made a pointing gesture to the sky with his free hand as several huge fireworks lit off, all at the same time. This made Misty melt a little; Ash looked like darkness against the brilliant light show. The flame alone made him look pitch black. The cameras then moved to other various trainers as Misty finished her food. Some waved at the cameras, some didn't even notice.

"I really wish I was there…" Misty thought to herself. When she traveled with Ash and Brock, she was always there at the Opening Ceremonies in person. Watching it on TV was completely different, although it was still spectacular. She stayed in the cafeteria to watch Mr. Goodshow's speech. After that she made her way to her room.

She took a shower right when she got to her room, since she felt disgusting. About a half hour later she brushed her teeth and crawled into a real bed, immediately falling asleep after a hard day.

Ash, Brock, May and Max all went to their rooms after the Ceremonies. They had ran into Gary beforehand, so he was with them as well until he reached his own room in the same center. He had told Ash that, although he was following his Grandfather as a Pokemon Professor, he felt that he needed to enter one last tournament in his home region before retiring. He had victored in many smaller leagues, as well as a couple big ones, so he was putting those winnings toward his future career as a Professor, by helping his Grandfather in the lab at Pallet pay for new, state-of-the-art research equipment.

They all talked for a while longer before reaching their rooms, leaving Ash to ponder the same thoughts as the night before. _"I hope I'm not like this every night, I need to focus for the tournament…" _he thought to himself. More and more each day he pined for Misty's presence. He hoped she was at least going to be able to catch some of his battles on TV. The thought that she still watched the battles while not there calmed his head down a little, making sleep come a little easier that night.

The next day, right after breakfast, he registered his team of three for his first match of the tournament, on a rock field. Him and Brock researched the opponent, making Ash's choice for a team much easier to make. The matched commenced at noon, and Ash breezed through this opponent a little easily. The trainer from Fuschia City had all Pokemon of one type, and, although they all had varied move types, Ash still took advantage of the trainer's disadvantage. The final blow from Ash's Kingler to the trainer's Dugtrio ended the match.

Misty watched the entire match at the Pewter Pokemon Center, amazed at how much his training had paid off. Afterwards, Misty found out on the TV that the tournament would last another five days before heading into the Final Round three days after that. After doing the math in her head, she quickly headed out of the town and reached the forest by nightfall. She decided to camp by the entrance to the area; she wasn't ready for bugs today. Hopefully she'd make it a day before the final, it'd be earlier without that stupid forest in the way though.

"Good match today Ash!" Brock congratulated Ash for his efforts that day, while they were in the center healing Ash's Pokemon.

"Thanks Brock, once I saw his weak point I kept hitting it… I just have to keep battling like this, and I'll be in the Finals before I know it!" Ash exclaimed, his determination burning with adrenaline yet again.

"Yeah you were great today Ash," May added, "but don't let this get to your head, that match seemed a little easy for you. That was only the first round, out of about eight rounds or so, not counting the Final Round. You have to stay focused, there's harder trainers here you know."

"Yeah I know, but I have a diverse team of Pokemon I've rotated myself… I've trained all of my Pokemon for this tournament… I must've drove Professor Oak nuts these last few months with all of the transfers of Pokemon I made him do."

Brock popped out a soda from the vending machine and opened it. "Yeah, I think that's the best way to train, to train all of your Pokemon you've ever caught, so that you'll be ready for any situation. I mean, Gary has trained like that throughout his training career, and look at how successful he's been. I'm glad you did that before the tournament Ash, your actions will prove crucial in your next matches."

"They have to…" Ash replied to Brock. _"Especially for her… I really hope she makes it…"_ he thought. A fixed expression on his face turned his energy to worry.

They all started to stare at him, wondering why his mood changed so suddenly. A minute ago he was brimming with energy, now he's dazed off. Although May and Max were clueless to it all, Brock has noticed this in Ash the past month or so. He figured the reason why, but didn't yet bring it up to Ash, fearing he figured wrong.

They soon went to bed after the conversation. Ash had two matches the next day, so he needed all the sleep he could get. Once he touched the bed he zonked.

Misty was zooming through the forest as fast as she could, trying to escape all the bugs she felt were going to eat her. At one point she could've sworn a Beedrill was chasing her, so she sped up even more.

After a horrifying torture-chamber trip through the forest she soon arrived in Viridian by noon the next day, immediately going to the Center to heal her Pokemon from defending her from the terrors of the forest. Ash's first match started at 12:30 on a grass field, then two hours later on a water field, and had arrived just in time for his first match of the day.

She saw that both matches were difficult for Ash; both opponents were pretty unpredictable with their strategies. Ash had got through the first opponent of the day with only Muk and Tauros, although his opponent's Marshtomp proved difficult. But his next match on the water field forced him to use all three, his shiny Noctowl, Squirtle and Heracross. The announcer congratulated Ash on his third victory, with his Heracross defeating his opponent's Furrett, and Misty then left towards Pallet, relieved that Ash wasn't eliminated.

It had took Misty another three days to reach Pallet, without knowing if Ash had even made it. She finally arrived in Pallet after a long, tiring, suspenseful trip, exhausted, sweaty and hot, praying that his mom was still there to help her get to the Indigo Plateau.

She slowly approached the red-and-white two-story house, fenced all around, with a beautiful garden that covered the front yards, and with a shaking hand, rang the doorbell.

---

Cliffhanger! I'm so evil lol. Please read and review, no reason to flame since I'm new to writing. Hopefully the third chapter will be up faster than this one.

Thanks all, and keep your eye out for the update!

--MoltresFeather--


	3. Chapter 3: The Plan

Okay guys here's Chapter 3, I'm really sorry this update took so long… a combo of laziness, work and video games interfered. I need more reviews, I only got one since my last update, which was almost two weeks ago, and I need positive/negative feedback… this is my first fic so I need any opinions you guys have. And thanks to all of you who've subscribed to it! Special thanks to Texas Longhorn for your reviews and updates on your story. Thanks for the support, I need it!

There is a battle in this chapter, but I won't cover it much, to stick with the storyline better. So if it feels like I'm skimming in the end, I guess I am. lol.

So without further ado, here's Chapter 3.

Ahhh… I don't own Pokemon. I'll say it again: _**FAN**_fiction.

**Chapter 3: The Plan**

Misty's hand trembled from her long six day trip from her gym as she rang the doorbell to the Ketchum Residence. It was almost 6 pm when she arrived.

But no answer.

After about thirty seconds, Misty prayed that her next doorbell ring would feature a response afterward. She's come too far to be done over in the end. This trip had sent her to the brink of keeling over, no way was she going to let bad luck get into the way of her hopes of seeing her best friend again. She rang the doorbell one more time, praying for dear life that an answer would occur.

Just when she thought that his mom might've left already for the Plateau, the door actually opened.

"Misty, what a surprise!" Ash's mom exclaimed. She looked in a joyful mood, like always. Her Mr. Mime soon popped up from behind her, holding a feather duster. His mom continued after she looked at Misty up and down.

"My, you look like you just finished the Iron Man competition three times, please come in!" Delia Ketchum rushed Misty to the couch and got her some water.

After her dizziness from the sudden position change of her body, she looked around. Same beautiful living room with hardwood floors, a large, green couch she sat on, a red rug under a wooden coffee table and various pictures of Ash and his family and friends placed among the walls. Nothing's changed around here.

Whenever she was at Ash's house it was like her second home. His mom was the mother she never had, and she was always welcome. And she always felt safe and secure here, especially when Ash was around. The placed even smelled like him.

"_I guess I really miss him if I recognize his scent after two years…"_ she thought as a smile passed over on her face. Even though that was a little creepy, his scent did give her a sense of comfort. At that very moment Delia arrived with water in hand and a confused look on her face.

"Why are you smiling like that?" she asked Misty as she gave her the glass of water.

"Just… Glad to be back here I guess. The gym is so stressful, and I'm really glad you're still here." A thought immediately stampeded through her head. "Wait—Does that mean Ash lost? What happened?" She started panicking, almost having another heart attack. She hadn't seen his battles in three days, so she was oblivious to his tournament status.

"Calm down Misty, he's doing fine, he'll be in the Semifinals tomorrow. He'll be facing Gary. Is that why you're here?" she asked, hoping to understand why Misty actually biked here all the way from Cerulean.

"Yeah, I was hoping to maybe go there with you… He sent me a letter saying that he felt that he… needed me there, and I have no way to get there on time unless I go with you. I left my gym almost a week ago, so I was praying you'd be here."

Misty was glad she finally got that off her shoulders. "If I'm a burden or anything like that it's okay… but I did take six days to get here.."

"Oh of course you can come! I'm sorry, I was just thinking…" Delia finally responded.

Misty gave out a sigh of relief that made her feel like she removed a ten-pound mole.

"Yeah, you can come with me and Professor Oak tomorrow, we're taking the train there, but unfortunately we won't be able to make it until the day after."

"_Great, I'll miss one of Ash's biggest matches… He'd better make it through or I'll pulverize him…"_

"But there will be TV screens in the train, so we'll watch his battle on the way there." she continued. Misty was relieved, but still annoyed that she had to watch him on TV again. "We happen to have an extra ticket so this works out perfectly."

"Wait, how do you have an extra ticket? Aren't they expensive?" Misty asked. She was really confused on this matter. She couldn't have known Misty was coming.

"Well, Tracey was going to go but he felt he needed to stay at Oak's lab to do some work that can't be done with both of them gone, like feeding the Pokemon... So we have a ticket for you now!" she exclaimed.

"That's great Mrs. Ketchum, thank you so much." Misty said. She finished her water. "I could've called but the phones were dead in half the region…"

"That's fine, the lines actually didn't get fixed until yesterday, which was when I found out Tracey couldn't make it."

Misty let out another sigh of relief. She just needed to endure a couple more days, and one dramatic match, until she sees all of her friends again. And Ash.

Delia looked at the drained teenager. "You look wiped, Misty… Please, you can stay in Ash's room upstairs, he also has a bathroom attached to it. Take a shower and relax for awhile, I'll call Professor Oak and I'll let you know when dinner's ready."

Misty slowly got her bag and stood up. Delia led her to where the towels were, but she knew the rest of the house.

Misty made her way into Ash's room. A standard guy's room, but it did have a bunk bed. It also had soft green carpeting. She noticed a few similarities from her room in his. He had the same TV, with a PS3 and a Wii hooked up to it. She figured that's what he spent most of his tournament winnings on, however odd it was for a traveling Pokemon trainer to purchase expensive home entertainment items. The same photo of them sitting near a cliff was also by his alarm clock, giving her a good feeling about what might be between them. And he had the same wall scroll of himself on his door, just like in her room._ "These similarities are almost creepy…"_ she thought to herself as she noticed the same poster of herself as well. She also found two more posters of herself on his walls that she'd never seen before. One was a wall scroll of the same style as the Ash scroll. She figured it was part of a series, noticing one of Brock as well.

"Maybe he does feel something toward me," she said to herself. Why would he have so many posters of her in his room?

She took a long shower that melted her muscle pains, and her worries, away. Delia had made a nice dinner, with chicken, potatoes, rice and salad. By 9:00pm she went to bed. The sheets smelled like him. Misty was hoping she wasn't becoming obsessive. But she did feel secure in his bed, and knowing that she'd be on her way to seeing him tomorrow kept her mind at peace for the night. His old Poke-ball sheets with the three Kanto starters made her laugh a little.

She was also wearing a t-shirt and plaid pajama bottoms, both being his. She hadn't packed any pajamas and all her clothes were disgusting from her bike ride, so Delia was washing them. A perfect excuse to wear his clothes.

She went to sleep happy, warm and safe that night.

----------

At that time of night, Ash was still picking out his team for his match with Gary the next day. His six Pokemon had to be registered by midnight, so he only had a few hours left. After some help from Brock and Max, his team was picked out; it was one of the most varied teams he had ever conjured. However, Pikachu wouldn't be competing in this match; Ash knew that Gary would guarantee it as one of his opponent's Pokemon, so Ash didn't include Pikachu in order to throw Gary off.

Ash then got a call from his mom after he registered his team. She had wished him good luck in the next match, and that she'd make it afterwards.

Ash and his friends went to bed that night the least bit concerned of the next day, and they all fell asleep rather quickly.

The next day Misty and Delia met Prof. Oak at his lab to head to Viridian by car to the train station. They got on the train, and soon after it left heading for Indigo. An hour later they were televising the Semifinal Match on all the monitors in the train. Almost all the passengers had their faces glued to the little screens in front of them.

As the introductions occurred, there were cheers and jeers in the train as both Ash and Gary made their appearances. Misty made herself known on both introductions, quieting the whole train car both times. Ash and Gary shook hands and made their ways to their sides of the stadium.

The match was long and intense. After an hour the first intermission took place, when both trainers had double-KO'd their third Pokemon in their teams. Ash's Tauros had met head-on with Gary's Lairon, as both had used Skull-Bash at the same time. By this time Misty was sweating and finishing her second bottle of water. Delia was tense in her seat and Oak had gazed on intently the entire time, focusing on how long these local kids he had taught and tutored had come in their journeys. He knew Ash and Gary had trained for countless hours for this match, and he knew something huge would happen.

The match lasted another two hours. Ash's hat was tossed to the side, and his blue shirt-jacket was on the ground by it. Gary's sleeves were rolled up. Misty felt that Ash looked more determined with his hat off.

"_Come on Ash, just one more Pokemon to beat…"_ Misty thought. Each trainer had one Pokemon left; Gary's Arcanine was left standing after previously defeating Ash's Snorlax, and Ash's last Pokemon would either cause a huge upset, or upset Ash hugely.

"Go Muk!!" Ash called out, as he chucked his Poke-ball towards the center of the stadium. A bright light flashed from the orange-sized ball, followed by a four-foot tall, breathing, moving pile of sludge and poison. Most of the facial expressions in the audience, and in the train, were of confusion and bewilderment. However, Misty, Delia and Oak had all seen Muk's battles, and they know the full potential of the huge blob.

Gary knew that any contact in a large amount of time would poison his Arcanine, so he focused on long-range attacks. "Arcanine, Flamethrower!! Gary called out. His fire-dog forced out a huge stream of fire upon Muk, making it boil. But the boiling unleashed the toxins in the air much more rapidly. "Toxic!" Ash countered, using natural chemical reaction to his advantage, as Muk unleashed a huge gas-sludge cloud upon Arcanine, badly poisoning Gary's Pokemon.

"Arcanine!" Gary yelled. He knew his loyal partner was in trouble. "Fire spin!" Arcanine unleashed a tornado of fire and brimstone upon Muk, trapping the sludgepile. Arcanine cringed from the poison. Gary was hoping all the gas boiling from Muk would soon ignite, to knock out the trapped Muk, before his Arcanine would pass out.

Now Ash was in trouble, catching on to Gary's idea, to use his own Pokemon's natural traits against him. Misty gripped the seat tightly, hoping Ash would pull off another amazing feat, like he had done so many times in the past.

An idea zipped through Ash's mind. "Muk! Use Acid Armor and Iron Defense until you can't anymore!" Muk kept hardening itself, but after a few seconds a huge explosion occurred within the vortex, devouring Muk and also damaging Arcanine. However, when the smoke cleared, after a suspenseful couple of minutes, Muk was still in its place, as was Arcanine. Both stared each other down.

"It's over." Ash said, about five seconds before Arcanine collapsed. The poison in the air was too much for Arcanine's body.

"Arcanine is unable to battle! The victory goes to Ash Ketchum of Pallet town!!" The announcer bellowed. The stadium erupted in cheers. The train erupted as well, but Misty was past the point of cheering. Delia was overjoyed, letting everyone on earth know that Ash was her son. And Oak was bewildered at the battle he just saw. He figured they both needed no more advice or teaching from the aged Professor. They both had proven themselves as a couple of the greatest trainers on Earth, at least in his book.

Ash was overjoyed as his victory sunk in, hugging all his friends. Misty's expression changed a little as he saw Ash hug May. She hoped it only meant a congrats.

Ash was then approached by Gary. Gary's hand was extended, and Ash immediately shook it. "You'll win the next round Ash, you've come too far." Gary said sincerely.

"Thank you Gary, I'll prove you correct." Ash replied as the shake ended.

After the congratulations were done, the announcer introduced a twist rule for the final round, already known by the other finalist, but unknown to all spectators. Ash didn't know either. The identities of both trainers, and their collections of Pokemon, were to be unknown to the other trainer until the final match occurs. So both finalists had to avoid any knowledge of their opponent, including identity, to avoid disqualification.

Several hours later, night fell, as a happy and excited Misty fell asleep on the train. A happy and excited Ash had quickly fell asleep as well, after a long day of on-the-edge battling and interviews with news reporters and journalists. They slept nonstop that night, eager for the next day to be over with.

----------------------------------------------------

Ahh, that's it for this chapter, I feel that it could've been better, and longer, but I needed to get this update out. I didn't want to make two chapters out of this so I did rush a bit through the end of the chapter, but the next couple updates will contain much more depth and a lot of dialogue (finally). I noticed the characters haven't talked much, and I do apologize for that. My thoughts get the best of me a lot.

Thanks again to all the reviewers and subscribers paying attention to this story, and I'll need reviews of the many. Pretty please. At this point flame the crap out of me, as long as it's a review.

Chapter 4 will be up much sooner than this, I promise!!!

Regards, and REVIEW, DAGNABIT.

--MoltresFeather--


	4. Chapter 4: The Surprise

Ahhh…. yet again I broke a promise, its been awhile since my update. I do apologize, for yet again video games and work are to blame. But Virtua Tennis 2009 rules, as well as Rock Band. I love Prototype but haven't yet bought it. I've also been out and about enjoying life, but I have free time, its late, and I just had several R/C colas, so let's party!!!

Here's Chapter 4, R&R, sorry this update took so long, and thanks for all the compliments and comments on the Gary and Ash battle in Chap. 3! I honestly didn't think that battle would go over that well. I thought about it on spur-of-the-moment. So if you liked that, wait until the final match; you'll forget about Gary. But that's later, so keep your pants on! (No one wants to see that…)

And yes, finally a bunch of dialogue, and more shipping in this installment. Cool beans.

So no more time wasting, here's Chapter 4!!! Enjoy!!!

And I don't own Pokemon. Obviously. SERIOUSLY. FAN fiction. BAHH. Those disclaimers are a little annoying.

**Chapter 4: The Surprise**

The next day, at around noon, Ash, Brock, May and Max all arrived at the train station to greet Ash's mom and Professor Oak from a long, overnight trip from Pallet. The Plateau really is much farther from Pallet than most people think.

As the train pulled to a stop, Misty suddenly pulled Delia to the side. "I'm nervous he'll see me!" Misty exclaimed.

Delia was confused. "But isn't he why you came here?" she asked.

"I'm not ready to see him yet, I can't explain why… I'll have to meet with you guys later, I just need some time before I see him."

"Well… okay then…" Delia responded as she got her bag. Misty then got hers and said "I'll ask you where he is when I'm ready to see him." Misty then hesitated for a second. "…Please don't tell him I'm here either."

"I won't Misty, I'll see you later." Delia responded. Misty left out a different door, making sure she was out of eyeshot of Ash and his friends. She quickly disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ash and his friends to their greetings.

Professor Oak looked on at the whole scene with confusion, but soon figured it wasn't any of his business, and also got his luggage. Delia knew she couldn't change Misty's mind. Misty hadn't seen Ash in a couple years, so it's no wonder she's so nervous to see him.

Misty really didn't know why she was acting like this either. Delia was right, why would she run away from seeing the one person she's wanted to see this whole time? She spent over a week just going to his house, without a guarantee of seeing him. And now that she's here, with Ash on the same concrete as her, she runs off? She had no idea she was this nervous.

"_I guess this just isn't the right time to see him yet…"_ she thought to herself as she walked away from the station toward the Plateau. _"I'd much rather not see him in front of all these people."_ Misty felt it was time to tell him how she's felt all these years. This was driving her nuts, seeing as how she actually just ran from seeing him. There's no other reason why she was so nervous; it was obvious to her that she loved him. But how she was going to tell him this, she had no idea. He'd probably think she was crazy, not return the feelings, and just walk away, leaving her with only regret to think about. She walked, deep in thought, toward the central plaza area, which contained restaurants, stores and the Pokemon center, contemplating on her recent actions, and her possible future ones, and making sure she was staying away from Ash at the same time. She just hoped she'd gather enough courage to see him before it was too late.

----------

"Hey Mom!" Ash exclaimed as Delia got off the train with Professor Oak. "How was the trip?" He grabbed her bag for her.

"It was fine, we saw your match on the way here! I'm so proud of you!" she exclaimed.

"Yes Ash, great job in your match with Gary, you have both really blown me away." the professor complimented. "You've come a very long way in your journey, and you really have grown into a smart and strong young man. I'm sure that after that match you will reign victorious in your next match. Muk was the last Pokemon in my mind when you chose him, and Gary's Arcanine is very powerful. I was rather surprised of the outcome, honestly."

"Thanks Professor, that really means a lot." Ash responded. Brock, May and Max greeted Delia and the professor as well, but Ash glanced around. A jolt of worry went through his body, but he didn't make it noticeable. They all made their way to the Pokemon Center to get food, and to get rooms for both Pallet residents.

The kids talked to Delia and Ash of training, contests, battles, and of their adventures through Sinnoh. Dawn, however, wasn't there with them; Ash explained to Oak and his mom that she went on her own journey to become a coordinator.

Before they knew it, it was 5 pm. "Ah, I have to register my team for tomorrow, I forgot.." Ash said.

"Ash, you still haven't registered your team yet?" Brock asked. "You'd better get going on that."

"I know… But this is hard, I don't know who my opponent is, let alone his or her Pokemon." Ash had a worried look on his face. How was he going to win? This will be the hardest battle in his career, and he felt so unprepared.

Brock looked at him across the booth table. Everyone was still seated, finishing their dinner. Ash had a worried look on his face. But Brock reassured him. "Don't worry Ash, you have to remember that your opponent is in the same position as you. You have as much of a chance at winning as your opponent at this point."

The professor nodded. "That's a great way of looking at it Brock. Ash, just go with your instinct on this one. Choose the Pokemon that have helped you most in this tournament, the ones you're most connected to. But be varied with your team, especially since you don't know your opponent. You have no idea what will happen, so stand behind your decisions before the match, because at this point the team-making is most crucial. Choose wisely, and remember to follow your instinct on your choices."

Ash took their advice seriously. "Thanks guys, I'm gonna go choose my team right now!" Ash said, standing up and making his way to his room, where there was a computer he could use to register his team.

"Just as determined as ever." May commented, finishing her soup.

"I really hope he'll be smart making his team" Max said. "He can't afford to make any bonehead decisions on this one. I say we leave him alone for a couple hours so he has time to concentrate on the match tomorrow." Everyone agreed to the boy's comment.

It took him until around 7 pm, but he felt that he had organized a truly powerful and varied team, ready for pretty much anything his opponent threw at him. He leaned back and stretched in his chair, his eyes hurting from the screen. As he clicked the REGISTER button on the screen, his thoughts jetted to Misty yet again.

He missed her a lot, especially now. He had worried all day if she'd still make it in time for the finals, but after not seeing her get off the train, he felt that his hopes were dashed. That was the last train to arrive before the finals, and he saw no Misty anywhere all day. He thought that if she truly cared, he'd have seen her by now.

"I can put together the strongest team in history, but without her there behind me, I can't win…" he whispered to himself. It was starting to sink in that she'd probably not be there tomorrow. He slowly sat on his bed as his mom walked in. He ignored it, too deep in thought to respond to his mom's arrival.

"Hey Ash, did you register your team for tomorrow?" she asked, not knowing his thoughts, his pains.

"…Huh? Oh, yeah… I did." He said slowly. Delia recognized what was wrong. But before she got to respond, he continued.

"I should've known she wouldn't come." he spat out, taking his hat off and spinning it between his pointer fingers. "I mean, I hadn't seen her in two years, and our last phone call was about six months ago. And letters aren't reliable anymore, especially when you try to time them. She probably didn't even get my letter. I feel so stupid hoping she'd come…."

Delia frowned, wondering why Misty was avoiding him. Why she was breaking his spirit like this. "Well, it's only 7:30, you never know… she might still show up." she responded.

Ash quickly retorted. "But your train was the last one until after my match tomorrow. I didn't see her get off… She's the last person I expected to not be here… I feel like it's my fault." Ash couldn't believe he wouldn't see her before the hugest match in his career. Of all his friends and family, Misty was the first person he'd expect to be there with him, ahead of even his mom. No matter how much they fought, she was always with him during his huge battles to support him. And now, of all times, she wouldn't be there? It made no sense to him. She was always there for him when he needed someone.

Delia just frowned, concerned of Ash's state of mind now. She feared this would affect his battle if Misty didn't meet up with him soon. She knew Ash had come too far to be disappointed like this.

Just when she'd thought she couldn't help him through this, he stood up and put his hat on. "I'm taking a walk to the stadium, I'll be back tonight. I need to sort stuff out…" he said as he made his way out the door.

Delia sighed when he left. A minute later she texted Misty telling her he was on his way to the stadium. She hoped that Misty had enough sense to see him by now.

Misty received the message, just after finishing dinner. After hours of thinking of how to approach him, or what to say to him, this opportunity slapped her in the face. She quickly paid the bill and made her way to the stadium. _"I hope I haven't caused anything to happen being gone…why would he go to the stadium? "_ Little did she know she had almost shattered Ash's spirit. She also didn't realize how late it really was, she was too busy being a tourist of sorts. This made her feel worse.

She arrived about ten minutes later at the stadium, finding the trainers' locker rooms and deciding to go in that way. (Although she had to persuade the guard to let her through.) She made her way to the trainer's entrance to the arena area, and sighed nervously as she slowly opened one of the doors. She peered through it, seeing Ash in the center of the arena. His back was toward the door, and he was facing the Moltres Flame. His hat was scrunched up in his hand, and his other hand was balled into a fist. He was deep in thought, hoping this whole situation would somehow turn out okay.

Misty looked on lovingly, yet sadly, at a worried Ash, knowing this was her fault. She had a strong feeling that running off and avoiding him for this long caused this. She noticed he had really grown since the last time they saw each other. The flame made his edges glow a violent orange, and the dusked sky was a mix of purple, blue and orange. The clouds were a navy blue, and the stars were already making themselves known on the canvas.

It was time to patch this whole thing up. She had to confront him. She had to wake him up inside.

She made her way slowly toward him, but by the time she got by the trainer's box, the door had slammed, startling her. But not Ash. His eyes widened, knowing there was only one person who would visit him like this. Even though the odds were against him, he knew it was her. Excitement swelled up in him. The worry and concern was gone.

"Misty…" he said as he turned around. Their eyes locked.

-----

What will happen?? Hmm.... Thanks for reading and keep your eyes out for Chap 5. I'll have it up sooner, I SERIOUSLY promise. Within this week, definitely, since I'm enjoying writing this more. I feel this chapter was more well thought out than the others; I had more patience this time. The chapter still feels short, but also more full, which is more important.

Review when the chance comes, pretty please. (Hey, now is a good chance. lol.) Thanks for your support, and watch for the update!

--MoltresFeather


	5. Chapter 5: The Happy Reunion

Hey all, another update (I told you it'd be sooner lol), in case you all haven't noticed I redid my Chapter 4 a little bit; after reading through it I noticed several huge hasty mistakes, including several lines that were completely missing.. I also found my drafts of that chapter that had more detail, so I might revise it again soon.

But the long awaited Chap. 5 is here; Ash and Misty finally meet! What will happen??

Thanks to all the reviewers, a few in particular;

Texas Longhorn: RCs RULE!! lol. Too bad they're not in Naples… And it's fine our Chapter 5s are called The Surprise, its pretty funny lol. Thanks for all your reviews. (Check out his fic "A New Journey" it's a great AAML that will be insane long.)

JC-zala: Thanks for all your reviews as well, don't worry there will be plenty of Ash/Misty in this chap, hopefully not too fluffy though..

Dramoinex3: CLIFFYS MWAHAHAHA. lol. And Rock Band is more addictive with downloads that are impossible to finish. lol. Thanks for all the reviews you gave so far as well, I don't think there'll be a cliffy this chapter so you can breathe now.

Now onto the long awaited Chap 5, I might double update if I have time after I write this, I'll let you all know when I'm done..

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own Pokemon. Seriously. I don't.

**Chapter 5: The Happy Reunion**

Their eyes locked. They gazed at each other, knowing that was all they could do. Several seconds ago, their thoughts on the situation were tense, on edge and confusing to them, but that all went away now.

"Misty…" Ash said, as she came towards him. His eyes teared up, half because of Misty's arrival, but also because of staring into a 30 foot flame in the night for a half hour. He made a mental note to never do that again.

But seeing his eyes get wet made Misty's eyes water as well, as she saw the unintended pain she caused inside him. She knew she had some explaining to do. No one of his caliber should cry over some girl's actions.

Ash gazed at her; she wore slim jeans that flared at the bottom, the red sweater he remembered from Shamouti Island, where he almost drowned, a yellow shirt under that, and blue Converse Hi-Tops. Her hair was also down, which Ash had always liked since he first saw it that way. Her figure had developed nicely as well, and the clothing she wore accented that to him a little. And her eyes were more beautiful than ever; her cerulean eyes were set ablaze by the flame behind him, showing a violent mix of bright orange and light blue that he soon got lost in easily.

He then thought of what he looked like; same clothes he always wore. _"I probably look stupid right now…"_ he thought to himself.

At the same time Ash was looking at Misty, she also gazed at him. She had always liked the clothes he wore, and especially now; his black shirt had gotten a little smaller on him, and even though he was also wearing his blue and white shirt over it, she could tell that all of his training had him looking much more toned out than a couple years ago. His jeans were faded at the knee sections, and his shoes were worn out. His hat was still in his hand as well, so his messy hair was everywhere, which was Misty's favorite trait of Ash. Without his hat on, he somehow looked more mature, more seasoned, and maybe more smart. His hazel eyes had a sparkle in them she hadn't seen before as well, causing her to gaze in them yet again.

After looking at each other for a few more seconds, they finally embraced in a warm hug. She noticed he was now taller than her, but only by about an inch or so. _"He smells nice…"_ she thought to herself. Her obsessive sense of smell was kicking in yet again.

She could tell from the hug that he was more built; it was stronger and warmer than when they last hugged over two years ago.

"Ash…" she mumbled into his shoulder. She was finally speaking to him, after all this time. "I'm so sorry…I never meant to make you feel… forgotten, or neglected, especially now… I know this is a stressful and tense time for you, and I feel so terrible that I avoided you today…"

Ash just kept hugging her, a little tighter as time went on. He was about to say something, but she continued.

"I got here on the same train as your mom, I came up with her and the professor…. When I saw you through the window though, I got nervous… I didn't feel like it was the right time to see you…. Once I got your letter I biked to Pallet, hoping she'd still be there. I wanted to contact you during that time but all the phone lines were out…" She started to sob again. "I'm so sorry Ash, I never meant to hurt you…"

"Misty, you didn't hurt me…" he responded. He ended the hug and held her shoulders. Her teary eyes gazed at him, begging for forgiveness. "I was just… really worried if you never got my letter, and not seeing you get off the train made me more worried. I feel stupid for even doubting that you'd come though, now I realize that a part of me knew that you'd come the whole time, but the circumstances… scared me a little…"

Misty looked on at him as a frown formed on his face. She felt so terrible for how he felt all this time, knowing she caused this. She figured it was karma for all the arguments she had started. She figured they were just playful fights that ended as quickly as they started, but maybe they had done more damage than what she originally saw. Her tears kept coming, as her eyes closed. She couldn't bear to see his face like that. But to her surprise, she felt something on her cheek. She opened her eyes and saw his hand pull away from wiping her tears away.

"Hey, don't cry okay? You don't know how happy I am to see you right now. None of this is your fault, and you don't have to apologize for any of it." She was amazed as she got pulled into another hug. He continued.

"I actually felt kinda bad… like, selfish… when I wrote that letter. I felt stupid trying to interfere with your job, to get you to come watch me battle in some tournament… but I feel like I can't get through this tournament without you here with me…"

Misty was amazed yet again. How did he get so nice? He was never like this before, what made him change? She could tell he was being sincere and truthful as he said that.

"Ash… I never knew you felt that way about this… about me… I know you were scared to tell me, but you have to communicate things like that to your girlf-.." Their eyes widened when Misty let that out, and their faces got red. Why did she blab that out now, of all times? They were just now sorting out this crazy situation, and she goes and does that? _"Great, now I feel worse… he probably thinks I'm crazy…"_ she thought.

But Ash just smiled a little after she fumbled with her words. He slowly brought her closer as she opened her eyes, after having them closed from the sheer embarrassment. They looked in each other's eyes as their faces were somehow getting closer, like gravity. Before they knew it, they were sharing their first kiss. It started lightly, and got deeper as time went on. Just as Ash was about to embrace her again, however, she pulled away, shocked at what was going on. Her eyes opened up, and as he saw the look on her face, he started internally panicking. "Oh no… Misty, I'm sorry, I don't—I mean, well… you messed up first!"

He feared he had just started a dangerous fight, but Misty just laughed. Ash had the most confused expression on his face, which made her laugh harder. Ash was bewildered at what was happening, he's never felt this mixed up since he had to disguise himself as a girl just to get into Erika's gym in Celadon City.

"No Ash, it's not that… I'm just so happy that you feel this way…You have no idea how long I've been holding this in… Ash, you mean the world to me, and I was so worried that you wouldn't return my feelings, I bottled them all up. But now I'm sure…"

Ash was surprised and relieved at the same time as she kissed him again, more passionately and slowly. "I love you Ash…" she whispered, gazing into his eyes, centimeters away from her own.

A surge of joy, relief and shock welled up inside him. "I love you too, Misty, and I don't know how long I have… I'm so glad you could make it…"

They spent the next half hour or so strolling through the stadium, talking about their lives in the last two years, and reminiscing on their past travels together, and what they felt about each other at those times. Ash struck up another conversation.

"So what'll you be doing after the tournament?" he asked as they walked through the second level seating.

Misty sighed. "I suppose I have to go back to Cerulean to run the gym again… but I don't want to… My sisters come back this week from another trip they had, and I think it's time they run the gym professionally. It's cool being a gym leader, but I'm much happier traveling…"

Ash sighed a little. " I think it's time you stand up to your sisters Mist… I mean, if they think they're so much better than you in everything, then why should you have to run the gym? Do what you love, not what you're forced to do."

Misty thought about what he said.

"That's what I did as a kid…" Ash went on. "My mom insisted I stayed in school, but Pokemon has always been my passion, and I knew if I was a good enough trainer I'd make a much bigger name of myself than trying to get through life struggling with grades, paychecks, bosses… I wanted to do what I love to do. Now I'm almost on top because of it. If you let your sisters get the best of you, you won't know your true potential, and you'll lose sight of your dreams in life."

Misty was amazed at how wise he was sounding; she wasn't sure if this was really Ash.

"You're right Ash," she said after thinking more about what he said. "It's time they run the gym… No matter what they say, I'd like to travel with you again after the tournament. I can't stand missing you all the time… running some gym doesn't compare to traveling with you." Ash smiled, knowing he didn't have to miss her anymore; she'd be with him everywhere he went. Ash put his hat back on and stretched his arms.

"Hey, where's Pikachu? I haven't seen him with you at all." Misty asked, confused that the inseparable pair was separated.

"Oh, he's at the center for healing overnight, to make sure he's ready for tomorrow."

"Oh, okay," she replied. She was worried Team Rocket finally succeeded, or that Pikachu decided to go into the wild or something.

"Well, it's getting late, we should head back to the center to see everybody, and to get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." He stretched his arms out again.

"Yeah, let's go." she replied. They walked hand in hand, towards the exit of the stadium, with not a worry in their minds.

---

No cliffy this time! I'm nice today. Unfortunately you won't see a double update, my day's too busy after I post this chapter. But hey, they're together! Super coolness. There's still a few more chapters left, and the battle will be a little long so be patient with me. However that won't occur until after my next update. This one's a little short I think, but any more would be another chapter.

Thanks to all the loyal readers who love this story, I didn't think it would turn out this well but you all proved me wrong.

Hey that green button is pretty cool… Try clicking it- holy crap you can type stuff in it! Try typing what you think of the story so far- HOLY CRAP you're reviewing! That's pretty sick.

Another update will come within the week, most likely. Stay safe, and keep your eyes out for the next chapter! Thanks for all the support! AAML4EVER….

-MoltresFeather


	6. Chapter 6: The Conversation

Hey all here's chapter 6 finally.. a little sick right now, and I've had no sleep, but I've drank enough orange juice to fill—well, something really big.

Thanks to the reviewers who commented on my last chapter; there'll be even more dialogue in this one.

I'm not talkative right now, since my head's exhausted, so I'm just gonna start.

Disclamer: I do not own Pokemon at all. All I own is the plot of this story.

**Chapter 6: The Conversation**

Misty had never felt so happy in her life that night. The time she had spent with Ash in the arena was unforgettable. The urges to be with each other had grown over the past two years, and all of a sudden it just happened. Everything turned out just as she had hoped.

Ash and Misty walked their way back to the Pokemon Center after finally meeting in the stadium that night. They carried on their conversation they previously had at the stadium, reminiscing more on their past travels and adventures. It took them about ten minutes to reach the Pokemon Center on foot.

"Ash…" Misty asked, before they reached the door, "when should they know… about us?"

Ash walked along beside her, about to enter the Center. "Uhh… tomorrow after the match. No reason to tell them so soon," Ash smirked. "Just keep it quiet." They both laughed a little as they entered the Center.

"There you are! Hey Misty!" May shrieked from a table. Brock looked over the booth after May's unnecessarily loud comment. "Well well, where have _you two_ been?" he asked in a 'lovey-dovey' voice.

"_At the stadium_" Ash replied in the exact same tone. Everyone laughed. He was happy that all his friends were now here to support him in his match. And surprisingly he hadn't been joking around with his friends that much since the tournament started, but since a certain weight was off his shoulders he found it a little easier to be himself again.

Richie was also there, who had lost his quarterfinal match against Gary. He was excited to see the two, since he hadn't seen them in years.

"Hey Richie, I was hoping to rematch you in this tournament but I guess that won't happen," Ash said while shaking his rival's hand.

"Well, we don't have to be in the tournament to battle again, do we?" Richie replied as his eyes narrowed.

Max also shyly greeted himself to Misty. Misty just giggled at his awkwardness, knowing he was always shy around her whenever they'd meet.

They all talked more within the hour, mostly of how Misty had been in the past two years. She explained how rigorous her gym work has been, and how she's had no time to herself lately because of her work. Brock sympathized for her, since he was also a gym leader at one point, dealing with the league and his large family at the same time. She also talked about her bike trip to Pallet and how her nerves and imagination usually got the best of her during the trip.

As the group's talk went on, everyone gradually retired to their rooms, wishing Ash luck for his big match the next day in the process. Soon only Ash and Misty remained in the lobby, taking it as a sign to get to bed.

Nurse Joy noticed the unfamiliar face as she was locking the doors for the night. "I'm sorry dear, but all of our rooms are full, so you'll have to sleep out here in the lobby," she said to Misty.

"Actually Nurse Joy, she'll just stay in my room if that's okay," Ash recommended. Misty was shocked at first, but didn't protest, since it made sense. Why would Ash let her sleep in the lobby with about thirty other people when she could just stay in his room? A bed was more comfortable than a tile floor or a table booth. Nurse Joy soon agreed to the request, and wished them a goodnight as she turned off the main lights in the lobby.

"Well, I have to grab some stuff from your mom's room, I'll be back." Misty said as they went towards Delia's room.

"Ok, I'll wait out here." Ash replied standing by her door. She soon came out with her red bag, and they made their way to Ash's room. He pulled out his card key and unlocked the door, letting Misty in first.

They both sat on the bed and took off their shoes. "I'm just going to bed Misty, I'm really tired and I have a huge match tomorrow," Ash said tiredly. Although he didn't battle that day, he was exhausted from the nervousness about his battle alone, and picking his team out had stressed him out as well.

A hint of disappointment came onto Misty's face. "..Oh, okay Ash, that's fine…" She was hoping to talk with him a little longer, but she knew how important the next day was to Ash, and soon got ready for bed herself.

"I want to stay up awhile too Misty, but I just can't.. I don't want to be too tired tomorrow, I need the rest." An apologetic look was on Ash's face.

"It's fine Ash, I understand." Misty replied, smiling.

"Tomorrow night we'll stay up, just like we used to do when we traveled. Okay?" Ash reassured, putting a hand on her leg.

"Sounds good," Misty replied with a smile. She had got a small shiver when he did that. Whenever he touched her she felt warm inside. Snapping out of it, she went into the bathroom to change, while Ash did the same on the bed. She came out in Ash's clothes, the ones from his room the night she stayed in Pallet.

"Hey, how'd you get my clothes? I didn't even bring those," Ash said, confused at why she was wearing his clothing.

"I took these from your room, since I didn't pack my own pajamas. I stayed the night at your house, remember?"

It took Ash a second to register the reply, but he soon figured it out. "Oh, because you came with my mom, you must've stayed a night at my house!" Misty was unsurprised at his genius response, realizing Ash hadn't changed as much as she thought.

"Good job Ash, oh, and two plus three is five," Misty responded with a soft, slow tone in her voice. This caught Ash off guard, causing a blank expression to appear on his face for a full second.

"Hey! I might be dumb, but I'm not stupid!" Ash shot back. Soon Misty found herself confused for a second.

They continued bickering at each other, while brushing their teeth, getting the bed ready (Ash's bed was messy from the night before), all the way to crawling into the bed. This silenced the two; only in their dreams and imaginations they've been in the same bed, and all of a sudden it was really happening. The light was off, and they both lay in the king-sized bed, staring at each other in the dark, under the same, warm covers. Ash read the clock over Misty's shoulder; 11:05.

"I missed that," Ash whispered. "I've had no one to fight with in the past two years."

"Same here," she replied. A few seconds went by, which seemed like forever to them. "I love you, Ash…" she whispered, gazing at him.

"I love you too" he replied. "Goodnight Mist…"

"Goodnight Ash…" They both fell asleep, with Ash's arm over Misty, still facing each other, with their faces close to keep each other warm, thinking of only each other.

Ash's rest wasn't peaceful. At around 2 a.m. he woke up sweating. Immediately uncomfortable and hot, he soon got up and sat on the windowsill. He gazed at the sky, thinking of something in his past, something that has plagued him since he was four years old. And he didn't know why, tonight of all nights, he was thinking about this. His mind was rushing with anger and sadness, confused at why it happened. This was one thing that he had never figured out.

---

At around 3:00 a.m., Misty awoke a little cold. Noticing that Ash wasn't in bed, she opened her eyes to find Ash sitting on the sofa-windowsill seat, with a piercing, concentrated gaze set on somewhere outside. She rubbed the blur from her eyes and slowly got up, making her way towards Ash. "What's wrong Ash? Why are you up like this? You should be asleep, and you're never up this late." She sat across from Ash on the windowsill seat, facing him. Their legs soon became intertwined, and she was slowly stroking his leg.

"Well," he replied, hesitating. "I've never really talked to anyone about this before, not even my mom…"

Misty had a concerned look on her face. "I'm here Ash, what's on your mind?" What could Ash possibly be worried about at this time of night?

"My father," Ash said coldly.

Misty was a little surprised at his response. She had then realized that Ash never talked about his father before. Keeping her thoughts and questions to herself, she stayed silent, looking at Ash as he stayed focused on something outside. He soon continued.

"He was never a big part of my life, and I never really knew him. My earliest memories of both my parents are just verbal fights. Even though his relationship with my mom was falling apart, he tried to keep out relationship strong. He used to tell me it was his dream to see me become the success he was never able to become, and he told me that I shouldn't ever give up on anything I did. To never let anyone stand in my way of achieving the goals I wanted to reach in life. And it struck me as odd that he'd encourage his son to never run away, when he ended up running away from himself, his wife, from me." Misty kept rubbing his leg as he continued.

"The fights soon worsened, and soon enough, one day my mom and I woke up and he wasn't there. She found a signed note on the table in our kitchen, saying only an apology. He left us when I was only about four years old…" A look of sadness and anger came onto Misty's face, wondering why a man would abandon such a kind family.

"She doesn't show it now, but my mom had never fully recovered from the leaving of my dad… she still wears her wedding ring, since they never divorced. And somehow, more and more each day I grew to hate him, since the day he left. He was never there for me, when I needed him most. Most of my childhood memories don't contain him, which makes me sad, never knowing who he was or whether or not he even cared about us, about me." Misty gazed at him with worry, confusion and concern. She never knew Ash had such a negative past with his father.

"My mom always told me that my determination and stubbornness was from him. She always said that I acted exactly like him in certain situations. This helps me to understand who he was, and how he acted, but I know I'd never run away from problems, and especially my family." A few silent moments passed.

"I never had a father Misty, all because of his selfishness. I don't even remember what he looks like…"

"Ash…" Misty said, continuing to stroke his leg. "I know how you feel… I never told you about my parents either…" Ash suddenly realized this; the only family of hers he'd seen was her sisters, but she's never even breathed of her parents before. Ash gazed at her as she continued.

"I lost both my parents when I was three… they died in a car accident…" Ash's body filled with sorrow, never knowing that Misty had gone through such pain at such an early age. "Misty… I'm so sorry…" Her gazed was fixed downward as she went on.

"Our grandparents took custody of the four of us. At the time they had owned the gym. But time passed on, and eventually so did they, only from age. By the time they had passed away, my sisters were old enough to run the gym. The losses were devastating to us, and especially to me, since I have no memory of my parents." Ash said nothing, but continued to look on at Misty, who still absent-mindedly was stroking his leg.

"Within a month of my grandparents passing, I ran away. My sisters were becoming completely different, and they treated me horribly. I was only ten, but I wanted nothing to do with them anymore. I didn't want to run away from my problems, but I figured that since none of it was my fault, I'd just do what I needed to do to cope with the. Running away was the smartest thing I'd ever done… A few days later, I was fishing, like I did every day. I thought I had caught something huge, but it was some random kid holding a Pikachu instead…" They both smiled at each other, and Ash soon wiped a couple tears that made their way onto Misty's face. "That day Ash, you changed my life. It took me a long time to realize it, but you were my recovery from all that happened to me. But still, I can't help but miss my parents…" Ash wiped a few more tears from her face as she continued.

"My point, Ash, is that you can't change the past. Whatever your dad did was out of your control, and it wasn't your fault. Although it was stupid to do, there must have been reasoning behind it. I'm sure he wasn't angry at either of you, and that he only did it out of pure fear and confusion." Ash had thought of this before, but it didn't answer why he did it.

"Ash, please don't dwell on this..." Misty said. "The last thing you need now is lack of sleep, and wasted energy on something you can't control."

"I know," Ash answered, "but I can't help it. When I was a kid my dream was to become a Pokemon Master, and although I don't remember much of him I do know that he was aware of my dream. I'm about to win this tournament, which has the highest trainer turnout in Pokemon League history, and he won't be there to push me on, to encourage me. I'm so happy that all my friends are here, especially you, but all I truly want is for him to be there too…"

"I know Ash, but chances are he won't be there to see you. Please don't stress on this tonight, or else your focus tomorrow won't be on the battle. You've made it this far without him, I'm sure one more tournament won't hurt." Ash faintly smiled. "Plus, I'm sure he's proud of you. He's bound to have seen a couple interviews of yours, maybe a few battles on TV or even just a news article of you. Wherever he is, I'm sure he couldn't be more than happy for you, knowing you're getting closer to achieving your dream."

"Thanks Misty… that does make me feel a little better. I've figured he'd seen something of me in the media by now, if he's still even alive. But you're right, I have to stay focused for tomorrow. Let's get to bed, it's too late to be up worrying about something that can't be fixed."

Misty agreed with a smile, as they made their way back to the bed. They crawled under the covers and kissed for a couple minutes, washing their worries away. They soon drifted to sleep peacefully, ready to face the next day.

-- --

Well there you have it, now back to bed with me.

Some stories I'd recommend that I've enjoyed reading so far:

"A New Journey" by Texas Longhorn- This one won't be complete for awhile so bear with the updates, but its an excellent Pokeshipping fic worth reading.

"Sensational" by HighQueen- One of the funniest Pokeshipping fics I've read in awhile, and there are adult situations of the many, so if you're not of age stay away from it.

"Carrying On" by SachikoMichi- A supersad Pokeshipping fic that was well written and thought out. A oneshot that really punches you in the face.

Any others I forgot are in my favorites list, but those are the ones I wanted to mention. Thanks for keeping up with mine, I'll need more reviews/flames from everyone.

I'd love to talk more but my pillow is calling me. Being sick in the summer is super lame.

--MoltresFeather


	7. Chapter 7: The Painful Reunion

Hey everyone, I'm really sorry I haven't updated at all recently, or reviewed any fics. I was sick for another couple weeks after my last update, and then life took over.. School, work and family have been on the priority lately. But now I'm out of my band, my work schedule calmed down and I have free time in between classes and at home, along with a new laptop. Thanks for the reviews- a couple predictions really discouraged me as well, but now I know not to be so obvious when writing- it's really hard to control surprises. So the past set aside, here's Chapter 7!! FINALLY!!! MWAHAHAHA. Again, sorry for the lengthy cliffhanger. And I'll bet most of you reread the story before this, forgetting what happened. It's okay, lol.

**Chapter 7: The Painful Reunion**

Ash woke up at around 8 a.m., and within fifteen minutes he was dressed and prepared for his final battle of the tournament, with all six Pokeballs at the ready on his belt. He paced around the room anxiously, nervous of the events that would occur.

He thought back to his first day as a licensed Pokemon trainer, which didn't get off to a champion's start. He remembered when he first received a stubborn Pikachu as his first Pokemon. And he remembered when he first decided that his goal in life was to become the world's greatest Pokemon Master. He was only three years old, but already had his life planned out.

He had been dreaming of this day for a long time. The most biggest tournament in his life so far, and he made it to the final round. Him, of all people, along with only one other, out of over four hundred trainers, went all the way. There wasn't any way he could lose. He was, for the first time in his life, _hungry._

The noises he made thumping around the room awoke a grumpy Misty. "Ash, it's not even quarter after eight and you're letting the whole neighborhood know that you have the ability to put holes in the ground with your feet."

Ash was surprised at this comment, knowing that the most he could get out of his mouth within the first five minutes of consciousness after sleep was something that resembled the mating noises of Geodude. The only way he knew what that sounded like was from listening to Brock's unwanted lectures of different mating seasons of Pokemon.

"Eh, so what? I'm ready to take on anybody that dares to be my opponent!" Ash replied boldly, his fist in front of his face. "And I'm more excited because I don't know who it is! No researching on my opponent's team or strategy beforehand, no previous knowledge of their skills. All I have is what I've learned as a trainer, and my team of Pokemon!"

"It's nice to hear that you're ready Ash, but before your head gets so big that you can't fit through the door, let's go downstairs for breakfast."

Although Ash was about to retort, his stomach took over at the sound of 'breakfast.' "Yeah, let's wake everyone up! I'm starving!" he responded. Shocked at the unpresent smart remark from her other half, she followed him to their friends' rooms, once she got dressed.

Ash, Misty, Brock, May, Max, Gary and Richie all ate breakfast in the lobby of the center, beating the crowd to the food. Although everyone stuck to a reasonably human meal, which consisted of bacon, eggs, toast and pancakes, Ash decided to eat the breakfast that, according to him, only the immortal Gods of Olympus even dared to look at--- four Pop-Tarts, two bowls of Wheaties with root beer instead of milk, and a Monster energy drink.

Everyone gazed at him, amazed as he finished the dream breakfast of every little boy in the world.

"It's a shame you peasants didn't have the courage to eat that. You guys missed out on liquid gold." Ash replied.

A little repulsed by a sudden odd taste in her mouth, Misty glanced at her PokeGear Ultra. 10:35.

"Ash, we'd better get to the locker room! Your match is in less than a half hour!" she exclaimed as she snatched up her bag.

Everyone rushed to the locker room entrance, where most of the group had to separate.

"Well, this is where us _peasants_ have to leave you," Brock pushed out, glancing at Ash. "Only one of us can go on the arena floor with him."

"Umm, I'll go with him…" Misty mumbled. However, she was surprised to see that no one made any odd noises, no teasing remarks. It seems that everyone matured while she was gone. She then figured some of it rubbed off on Ash. Or maybe they knew about the two somehow?

"Okay then, we'll all be in section B in the first level, second and third rows." Brock said to the pair.

"Good luck Ash, we'll all be rooting for you." May said as she hugged him. She also pecked him on the cheek, something she never did before. Ash saw it only as a friendly gesture; at least that's what he hoped. Misty held back an unnecessary reaction, and trusted that only a friendship existed between the two, especially after what happened the night before between her and Ash. No way would Ash have feelings for May after the things he said, how he had opened up to Misty, and her only.

Max then approached him and shook his hand, now almost ten years old. "I'll see this as a final observation before I start my journey. Please Ash, do your best and show me how a Pokemon Master battles, so that I'll be ready for my future."

Ash had just realized that Max would start his journey the next week, in the Johto region. Recognizing the importance he portrayed in Max's life, he shook his hand back, and responded, "I promise I will." Ash figured he was the smartest going-on-ten year old on earth, and figured Max would end up much farther down the road than himself, as he remembered that his first few months of training were full of things he had no prior knowledge of, including basic type advantage in battle. That first part of his journey was almost disastrous, and he thanked lady luck for getting him through the beginning of what turned out to be an incredible journey. He was mixed up and unprepared at the beginning of his journey, whereas Max, he foresaw, would quickly become a wise, smart, tough trainer. Ash spent the same time fantasizing about a glamorized Master life that Max did studying of nothing but anything Pokemon related.

He then turned to Gary, his lifetime rival, now friend. They shook hands, making a silent agreement to a soon rematch. Ash did the same to Richie as he wished Ash luck in the upcoming battle.

Brock approached him and shook his hand as well. "Remember every single little thing you have learned from your journey Ash," he said. "You'll need ALL of it to win."

"I will Brock. I'll use all of it." Ash replied as he shook his hand back.

They all wished him a final bid of luck as they disappeared into the crowd that would soon fill the stadium to the rim. Only Misty and Ash remained as they entered the locker room at 10:50 a.m., ten minutes before the match began.

He stood at the entrance to the hallway leading to the stadium for a minute, and then began to tremble. Misty noticed this quickly, and approached him from behind, placing her hand on his shoulder. "What's wrong Ash?"

"Just nerves I guess… I'm not afraid, but I haven't had a match like this before. I mean, this the biggest step so far in my career, in my life… and after eight years of training, it all comes down to this. I can't fail, no way."

Misty gazed at him. Even the strongest person she ever knew got scared sometimes.

"And I also want to make you proud of me for once…" he continued, taking her a bit off guard. "I know that you've always been there for me, but… I don't know, sometimes it feels like I don't really deserve to have someone as great as you by my side. And I never function right in these situations, and something always goes wrong. You're expecting and hoping for me to win, but what if I don't? I don't want you to see me fall short an inch anymore, not after how much I've trained, not after everything we've done as a group…."

Misty was almost shocked at what she was hearing. How could Ash believe that she wasn't proud of him? Or was it the nerves talking? Ash wouldn't let his confidence go from flaming glory to icy loss in less than a minute.

"Ash, don't even doubt whether or not I'm proud of you, because I am! I have been for almost as long as I've known you. Sure, you were a pest in the beginning, but then I saw how much you loved and cared for your Pokemon and your friends. And look at your accomplishments; Orange Islands Champion, the youngest in history, Johto League Champion, also the youngest ever, top sixteen at your very first ever official tournament at only eleven… That wasn't luck Ash. That was teamwork, love and loyalty you and your Pokemon formed for each other. I've always been proud of you, for everything you've achieved. And when you would lose, I would be even more proud just to see you stand back up and wipe the dirt off…" She started to cry, making Ash feel a little bad. How could he let nerves get the best of his mindset this close to the match?

"You've persevered through everything that was thrown at you your entire journey," she continued, as they now faced each other, "and this match is no different."

Ash's confidence finally reappeared.

"You're right Misty, I shouldn't have doubted anything at all, especially your support. I feel terrible for letting my imagination get away from me. No matter what happens, I'll make you proud of me." Ash stared into her eyes, wiping the rest of her tears away.

"I'm already proud," she responded.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN!!" the stadium intercom blared at 11 a.m. to the anxious, thunderous crowd. "WELCOME TO THE INDIGO LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WHERE A NEW POKEMON MASTER IS ABOUT TO BE DECIDED!!!"

"This is it…" Ash whispered. Misty pulled him into a soft kiss. "I love you Ash," she said.

"Hey…" Ash replied, lifting her chin up. "I love you too."

As the announcer finished the opening statements, Ash took off his ten-year-old tattered Pokemon League Expo cap, and put it on Misty's head.

"Huh?" Misty blurted out.

"I want you to have it," he simply stated. Misty understood why as the announcer began the trainer introductions. Ash tensed up.

"First off, at age eighteen, from Pallet Town, the current champion of the Johto and Orange Leagues, please welcome Mr. Ash Ketchum!"

The stadium exploded in thunderous roars as Ash paced his way out to the stadium. Misty thought he looked a lot more professional and mature without the hat. His crazy hair made him look even better. She followed him out, making her way to his side of the arena, sitting on the coach's bench. Ash shook the announcer's hand and stayed where he was, by the center of the PokeBall emblem, but on his side of the arena. His hands were balled at his sides, staring at the entrance his unknown opponent would come from. After what seemed like an eternity, the announcer finally continued.

"And now his opponent, at age 42, also from Pallet Town, attending his first official tournament, and making it all the way to the final round, please welcome Mr. Yamouchi Ketchum!!!"

The crowd exploded again, as a tall, dark-haired man appeared out of the entrance. To Ash, the crowd was silent. He was oblivious to everything around him as time seemed to freeze. Ash Ketchum had to face his own father.

------

Gee, no one saw that coming. Lol… This one seemed a little short, but there's not much I can fit into only one morning of the storyline. Anyways, there you have it, the battle scene will have to wait for another typing session, I'm getting tired… I also caught a Shiny Chansey while taking a break on this chapter, so I'll play Platinum a little longer. Please review, and any battle tips would be welcome… The original ending I had was a bit corny for a tense battle, so PM me if you have any ideas; I pretty much have the beginning planned out already, however.

Thanks for sticking with it, and I'll try to get R&R-ing on other fics.

Regards-

MoltresFeather


	8. Chapter 8: The Confrontation

Greetings loyal readers, I deeply apologize for this delay. I'm betting many of you who've read up to this point are wondering where the heck I've been, and wondering even more what has become of the story and how the climaxing ending will play out. As usual, life has taken over, some personal issues, some awesome opportunities. I recently moved in November from a not-so-good home life, and joined a new band (I'm a drummer as well). So I've been playing music, doing school and looking for a job this whole time.

But don't worry, I've put thought into the story as well. If you thought the Ash vs. Gary battle was a buttclencher, you'd better read this while you're in the bathroom in case an accident occurs. If you don't have a laptop, just carve a hole into your chair. LOL.

This part will be pretty short, but the actual battle will be started within the next couple of days. It's gonna be long so I'll update several times for the entire battle. Don't worry, the action is coming soon!

Thanks to everyone who stuck to this one for this far, even when I disappeared. Lol. Nothing much more to say, I'm anxious to get over this bridge. So let's get the ball rolling.

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon. I wouldn't be writing FAN-fictions if I did. Dummy. Lol.

**Chapter 8: The Confrontation**

Ash exploded inside as he heard his father's name from the announcer's mouth. He had a gutwrenching expression on his face full of anger he had never felt before. He had always thought that if he and his father reunited, he would realize how much he had missed him, how he had missed having a father figure in his life.

But now… after eight long years of hard work in the profession of a Pokemon trainer, his father was the last person he wanted to see at a time like this. This new feeling of rage toward his absent father was new to him, and his emotions took over quickly. Tears immediately came out soon after his father started his walk towards the center of the arena.

He was a big man, standing at 6'3," with messy, dark brown hair much like his son's, but shorter. He wore a dark red vest over a black t-shirt, and wore dark blue cargo pants and brown hiking shoes. Around his head was a red bandana used as a headband. His face looked seasoned and stressed, but confident as well. He looked focused on bringing down his son in battle.

In the stands, Delia was shocked at what she saw. Not only had she not seen her husband since Ash was a toddler, but now, all of a sudden, the two most important people in her life were about to destroy each other in a battle. The stage of crying was bypassed quickly, and Delia spaced out silently, watching the fate unfold. She felt like she was reliving a nightmare waiting to unfold in reality. She couldn't even imagine how the future would unfold between the two. She felt no past and no future. Only the present existed.

Professor Oak also looked on uncomfortably, since he and Yamouchi used to be good friends. To see his old friend in this situation made him want to leave the arena, but he was somehow glued to his seat. He had also noticed a change in Ash's father before he had disappeared, and it wasn't a change for the better. He was aware of the issues that went on between Yamouchi and Delia in the past, and he was hoping more issues wouldn't arise from this, although he knew that that was inevitable.

Misty was speechless at what she saw. Last night she and Ash were talking about his dad, and now they have to face each other? Misty had never seen Ash in such pain. She wanted to fight the battle for him, to not have Ash go through the pain. But she somehow knew that Ash would want to face him anyway, for personal reasons. She just wanted this to all go away- she'd rather be facing Ash than watch him go through this.

Ash and his father stood in front of each other, not saying anything. After a few tense moments, Ash spoke up.

"I don't care about you, your reasons for leaving, or how you feel about it. I don't consider you my father, and you will never have my respect. You made my mom and I miserable for a long time, and I will never forgive you for what you did." Ash tried to handle this as calmly as possible, almost failing to do so on more than one occasion.

"I don't want you to care Ash," his father simply stated. "You wouldn't understand why I left. I still regret doing it, but if I didn't do it we wouldn't be here today."

"None of that made sense at all!" Ash shot back. "How could you justify leaving your family to be a Pokemon trainer? At least I TOLD my mom that I wanted to do this for a living. At least she KNEW what I was getting myself into. But all you did was leave some last-minute chicken scratch note that you probably forgot to write the first time you exited. You ditched us, and you didn't care. If you did, you would've attempted to contact us. I hate you now more than ever!" Ash screamed.

"Just know this boy," his father spat out. Ash's eyes widened at this remark. "You wouldn't be on this journey if it wasn't for me. I was the one who persuaded your mother to let you begin your journey. You were only about three, but I knew it was what you wanted to do, and so did you. You should be thanking me!"

"Every time I hear your voice I feel like vomiting." Ash stated. "You have no right to talk to me like that Yamouchi." Ash's father began getting impatient with his son. Before he could retort, Ash continued.

"You're not my father. I never had one. And to think that I actually wondered where you were every now and then. I should shoot myself for letting me think that way."

"THAT's ENOUGH ASH!" his father shouted. "You listen to me-"

"No, you listen to me." Ash cut him off yet again, this time very calmly. "I have no care about anything involving you except this match. Whatever you say, do, or think doesn't matter to me. All that matters to me is proving to you that you were unneeded in my life. I'm going to destroy you. That's all that matters to me." Ash's arms were folded as he stared at his father.

"You won't stand a chance boy," his father responded. "I've seen all your battles Ash. I can't believe a trainer of your caliber made it this far on sheer luck. Me, on the other hand… I have something called "power" and "skill." Something you never learned."

"That's what being a coward does to you." Ash simply stated. His father scowled at the remark, trying to figure out what it meant. "When you run away from your family, all you can rely on is your hunger and greed for power to get you through a jam. And if it's too difficult you run away. I truly feel sorry for you, that you ended up this way."

His father stared at him with the same scowl on his face. Ash closed his eyes and lowered his head a little. "I'm going to show you that running away solves nothing."

With that, he turned his back to his former father and walked toward his trainer box on the arena, catching Misty's eye in the process. Her mouth was open in disbelief at what had occurred. The stadium was more silent than an empty one at this point.

His father made his way to his box as well, as the referee did the announcement of the start of the match.

"The following battle, Yamouchi Ketchum versus Ash Ketchum, is a six-on-six free-for-all battle with no time limit and no battle area restrictions. No intermission will occur, and any items, including hold items, are barred. Both trainers may switch out their Pokemon at any time. The winner is decided when all six of the opponent's Pokemon are unable to battle, or if the opponent forfeits. Let the battle begin!"

The referee brought down the red and green flags as the match began.

Well, that's the beginning of it. I hope no one expected a peaceful reunion between Ash and his dad. This part was longer than I thought, but I will trudge through and start the battle off. The firsdt part of the battle should be up within a few days.

Reviews are awesome, any suggestions are awesome too.

To be continued…

-MoltresFeather


	9. Chapter 9: The Surprising Beginning

So here we go, the actual battle. Thanks to the reviews from those die hard readers, I again apologize for that long absence. After this update I won't be able to start to continue writing until next week, my weekend is very busy.

Now that I have the drama of the father son scene out of the way, let's get some action going. This first bit is kinda short, but I'm taking this battle one step at a time. It's a big battle so I feel like I have to. The writing will be much more thought out and full this way too. But this update does contain a huge surprise. LOL.

Pokemon is not mine. But I have purchased Pokemon-related collectibles, accessories, videos and movies of the many as a loyal member of the American Consumer Culture. Lol.

**Chapter 9: The Surprising Beginning**

The Field Judge raised the flags while both father and son stared each other down intently, wondering which Pokemon the opponent would introduce their strategy with. "Let the Battle begin!!!" the Field Judge announced as both flags sharply came down.

Immediately, Ash's father reached for his belt. Ash knew that the long awaited confrontation with his father had now come—the moment he had been waiting for for quite some time. Finally, Ash had the opportunity to get back at his father for everything he had done to him and his family.

"Well Ash, time to put your mouth where your money is. I don't think you'll see half of my Pokemon," his father shot.

"Talk is cheap Yamouchi," shot back Ash. "Just throw the ball so that I get my trophy sooner."

"And you say talk is cheap? Hmph.." his father retorted. He threw a Great Ball into the air, and a blue light came out. "Go, Starmie!" A very well-conditioned Starmie, with the brightest jewel Misty had ever seen in a Starmie, appeared out of the light. Misty could tell that this Starmie was almost at a triple digit experience level.

"Watch out Ash, this Starmie looks really powerful! It might know completely different attacks than what you would expect from a water Pokemon!" Ash didn't move his position when she said this, but merely shifted his eyes. _"She doesn't know how I've trained…" _Ash thought to himself. He could also tell that his Starmie was at an almost perfect experience level. However, because of what he had in store, this didn't phase him a bit.

Ash responded by reaching for his belt and grabbing an old, scarred Pokeball, one that had Japanese characters engraved in yellow above the button of the Ball. It was dirty, not from use, but from nonuse. "Then you'll be even more surprised by this, Misty," Ash responded as he tossed the old ball. "Go, Raichu!!!"

A neon yellow light emerged from the ball, and a rich-bronze colored Raichu appeared, about as tall as Ash's legs. The tail's bolt was extremely sharp, the lightning ducts on its cheeks were a deep gold color, and the Pokemon's muscles in the legs were lean and cut. It even looked more trim and agile than most other Raichu that even Brock had ever seen- most Raichu looked a little chubby and out of shape. But Ash's looked equally experienced to his opponent's Starmie.

Misty seemed to be the only one surprised by the evolved Pikachu that she knew and loved.

"Pikachu?" Misty cried in bewilderment. "Rai!" the evolved Pokemon responded.

"During training he finally decided to evolve." Ash said to Misty while still facing the battle. "He felt like he had to... he felt that he achieved everything he had wanted as a Pikachu."

Misty understood that Ash would never force evolve a Pokemon, especially Pikachu. She also realized she hadn't seen or heard anything about Pikachu or Raichu during his tournament progress. He must've saved him for the final match. She looked on, wondering how this battle could get any more unpredictable.

"Starmie, use Agility!" Yamouchi commanded, and soon the Starmie was a purple blur around Raichu.

"Wow, that's the fastest Starmie I've ever seen!" Misty said to herself. It looked like a purple ring around Raichu.

"Raichu, jump outside of the blur and do a REAL Agility around Starmie!" Raichu leapt over the path Starmie was making and ran alongside. Soon all that was seen of Raichu was a transparent bronze ring around the thick purple ring. Raichu was so fast that he appeared almost invisible. Everyone was amazed at this extremely fast Raichu. Most were surprised that Raichu even knew speed attacks.

"Now Raichu, grab Starmie and use Seismic Toss with the momentum of both Agilities!" Ash commanded. Raichu immediately grabbed Starmie out of its attack, as if it were standing still, and soon it was a bronze-purple ring rotating faster and faster as it tightened into a small circle. Soon Raichu was spinning in the center of the arena, swinging Starmie in circles like a rag doll.

Yet another out-of-the-blue idea hit Ash in the head. "Combine it with Thunderbolt Raichu! Give it all you got!" The two rotated even faster, as lightning bolts appeared from the pair. "Raaaiiiiii….CHHHUUUUUUU!!!!" Raichu tossed Starmie so fast in a ball of electricity that everyone thought this battle was over before it even started.

Right before the Starmie came in full contact with the wall, the unexpected occurred. "Starmie, use Teleport, but keep the momentum!" Ash's father commanded to his distraught Pokemon. It disappeared before any impact occurred, and no Starmie was seen for several seconds. Then the unthinkable happened.

"NOW!" Yamouchi yelled. Suddenly, a Starmie covered in electricity appeared in front of Raichu within ten feet, still keeping full momentum of Raichu's combo attack, and plummeted directly into Raichu's body at full force. Raichu accelerated almost as fast as Starmie did, but towards Ash.

"Oh no!" was Ash's quick response before having to catch the Pokemon to save it from any permanent injury. A cement wall collision at that speed would've broken at least several bones in Raichu's body. Starmie would've still taken the hit—it was much more durable to impact than a five-foot-tall rodent. However, touching his Pokemon disqualified his Pokemon's participation in anymore battling that match.

"Due to intentional contact from trainer to the Pokemon to affect battle results, Raichu is disqualified! This is your first and only warning Mr. Ketchum!" the Field Judge explained while raising a black flag towards Ash's direction.

"You can't be serious!" Ash yelled after getting up from potentially saving his Pokemon's life.

"Yeah, his Raichu might've been permanently hurt, or even killed from a wall impact! You can't disqualify the Pokemon for being saved by his trainer!" Misty shot at the referee.

"Rules are rules, unfortunately. However I enforce each and every League Rule as Field Judge. If the same action occurs Mr. Ketchum will be disqualified. Resume the match!"

Brock looked on from the stands, seated with the rest of Ash's cheering section. "Man, I was betting my life that Raichu would've lasted longer than that, especially against Starmie. But one Teleport attack changed everything within five seconds…"

"Yes, but the rules are strongly enforced in the League," Professor Oak responded, who was sitting right next to him. "That Teleport attack might've changed the tide of battle, but Ash should've used a different reflex to save his Pokemon, like commanding Raichu to use its tail on the wall as a rebound. He has to remember the rules of the battle, and he has to remember to use his head, not his body."

Brock silently agreed to this notion from the Professor. Ash had always been so creative in getting himself out of weird, bad situations. Now, not only is his dad besting him at that, it's also causing him to lose focus on the battle.

Ash just began his battle and was already experiencing unfair moral treatment. But he figured that a penalty like that was better than a permantly hurt or permanently non-alive best friend. "It's okay Raichu, at least you weren't hurt badly. I'd gladly be disqualified to save my friend." Raichu smiled in his arms as Ash recalled Raichu. He had 5 partners left.

"That was very caring of you son," his dad called to him. "But feelings won't get you far as a trainer. Take the losses when they come, and let your Pokemon learn from their trainer's mistakes. It seems that you haven't trained well at all. I thought you were better at battling than this…"

Ash surprisingly kept a level head, knowing that everything his father just said was wrong. "I'm sorry that your Pokemon aren't your friends. The bond the trainer shares with their Pokemon equals the skill they possess as a team. And judging by what you just said, you have no skill at all. You merely use your Pokemon as tools to get yourself on top."

His father scowled a little, half in confusion, as his son continued.

"If your Pokemon lose, you had nothing to do with it. They were weak, they didn't battle hard enough. As if they had to train themselves. But a trainer like you takes ALL the credit after a win. You never recognize your Pokemon as partners, as teammates. I doubt you would've done what I just did for my Pokemon."

His dad's scowl grew stronger. "Just pick your next Pokemon Ash! These people didn't come here to watch a conversation, and neither did I."

Ash merely sighed. Misty looked on, wondering what would happen next in this already crazy match.

This was going to be a long battle.

Well well, that's the first part. I know no one saw that coming. I'm still taking battle suggestions from anyone who has ideas. (This beginning was my own however).

Sorry this part was so short, but it was a huge beginning. The next part of the battle will be up within a couple weeks at the latest. Read and Review, as I will be doing. Thanks to everyone still paying attention to the story, and also to those who just found it.

Regards-

MoltresFeather


	10. Chapter 10: The Shattered Jewel

Hey gang, here we go with some more of the battle. I wanted to use more of Raichu last chapter, but I wanted to use Ash's other Pokemon a little more. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not afraid to really fool around with Ash's team (I mean, I actually had Raichu in the story instead of Pikachu).

Ash always used Pikachu a little too much to me, and if anything Pikachu was the last second winner. I changed that up a little bit. Hopefully the battle will be more interesting this way. (Don't get me wrong, I love Pikachu, but I really want to write out crazy battle tactics and outcomes not thought of before).

Sorry for the absence, I've been working on an alphabet challenge, getting a root canal, and spending time with my rock band. But now I really want to get this battle closer to the conclusion.

Anywho, let's get on with the next part! Thanks to all the readers and reviewers! And a bit of a warning for this next entry; the battle gets a little brutal. So enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pokemon at all.

**Chapter 10: The Broken Jewel**

"_Bing!"_

Raichu's picture on the Battle Screen turned to a grey shade as the light faded on it. Yamouchi's Starmie stood strong, almost unphased by the high speed battle against Ash's Raichu. Misty closed her eyes, not wanting to see the picture turn off because of Ash's heroic, human act.

Ash still couldn't believe that his most reliable Pokemon was out of the battle so fast, and even more astounded that it was against a weaker type. He knew he could've handled the situation differently, but his reflexes took the best of him.

But Ash had seen different hidden abilities from a Starmie before. He figured this one would have even more in store for him and his next choice.

"Heh, good job Yamouchi, but now you're gonna get it," Ash said while reaching for his Dive Ball. "Go, Feraligatr!"

Ash tossed the ball in the air as a silver light emerged from it. A huge, powerful, blue alligator-looking Pokemon emerged from the light, standing over six feet tall. The Feraligatr made one stomp forward and let out a sound-barrier-breaking roar. Misty, yet again, was the only of Ash's friends surprised by his Pokemon. This was another Pokemon that she didn't see on TV. She had known that Ash had trained a lot for this tournament, but she didn't know the extent. His little Totodile now resembled the rare, powerful Water Pokemon now standing in the arena. She wondered how this Water Pokemon battle would turn out.

"Ash's next Pokemon is Feraligatr! Will it be able to overcome this powerful Starmie?" the announcer yelled through the intercom.

"Begin!" the referee called out as he lowered both flags.

"Do you really think a slow Pokemon like that could defeat my extremely fast Starmie? Your Raichu couldn't even bring it down!" Ash's father commented. Ash showed no response or reaction to his father's remark, just like many of the remarks he had made that day. "Use another Agility Starmie! Surround Feraligatr!"

The powerful Starmie quickly formed another high speed ring around Feraligatr. Feraligatr just stood there, as if waiting for something interesting to happen. Ash did the same, unimpressed with what he thought was a slow Agility attack. Misty looked on, wondering why he was so calm.

"Convert Agility to Double Team!" his father commanded, as what appeared to be twelve Starmie surrounded Feraligatr. The moment Ash was waiting for had come.

"Now Feraligatr! Use Metal Claw and swing your attack in a circle to hit all twelve in a single swipe!" As Feraligatr let out another powerful roar, he swung his claws now fully charged with steel energy at the Starmie images. Eventually during the attack the real Starmie jumped in the air to avoid the attack. Another moment Ash was awaiting.

"Ice Fang Feraligatr!" Feraligatr chomped at the air-born Starmie, managing to get one of its spokes.

Starmie landed on the ground, recovering quickly, however still feeling damage from the attack.

"Starmie, spin yourself into a Thunderbolt Attack!" Ash's father commanded. The Starmie started to spin on one spoke faster and faster, charging electricity within its body in the process. Ash was all too familiar with this battle tactic, and was expecting it sooner or later once he saw the Starmie chosen. He was aware that the voltage of the attack would be very high, however, because of how experienced this Pokemon was.

Misty thought back to Ash's battle in the Orange Islands with Rudy's Starmie, and how even she had never seen a Thunderbolt attack before from a Starmie, let alone a Water type. Ash's Squirtle had learned Hydro Pump, and pulled the victory out of the hat. She knew that with this Starmie, he had to _really_ think outside the box- if it had bested Ash's Raichu within two minutes, she knew that Ash had to be perfect in his strategy against it.

"Feraligatr, counter it with Ice Beam!" Feraligatr started charging the attack immediately. Both trainers waited for the optimum time to launch the attacks. Misty looked on with amazement, along with the rest of the crowd. _'This'll be big…'_ she thought to herself, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

"NOW!" both trainers yelled out to their Pokemon. Both attacks launched with an extreme ferocity. They met in the center of the arena, and after several seconds of contact, caused a huge explosion.

The arena was covered in an ice-like fog. "Scary-Face!" Misty heard Ash yell through the smoke. Bright-red, leering eyes focused on the Starmie across from Feraligatr, trapping the Starmie in battle, not letting it escape even if the trainer wanted it to. This move also helped Ash recognize where the Starmie was in the fog.

"Rapid Spin!" Yamouchi called out. The Starmie spun through the air, slicing through the fog and heading straight toward Feraligatr's head.

" Use Crunch Feraligatr! Use your reflexes to time your attack!" Ash commanded his partner. Feraligatr waited about two more seconds before executing a deadly accurate, lightning fast Crunch attack upon the helplessly air born Starmie, catching it in midair like a frisbee. Feraligatr's powerful teeth made direct contact with Starmie's jewel, shattering it instantly.

The sound of the shatter pierced through the crowd like a knife, and even though the Pokemon was Ash's opponent, Misty felt some sort of pain in her insides after witnessing the devastating blow to the hard-working Starmie. And, needless to say, the type advantage of the attack dealt its own greedy helping of damage.

"A DEVASTATING attack unleashed upon Starmie from Ash's Feraligatr has, in turn, actually shattered Starmie's jewel, which is as hard as diamond! How is that possible? And more importantly, will Starmie be able to recover after this battle?" the announcer blared through the intercom.

"Starmie is unable to battle! Feraligatr is the winner!" the referee called, raising Ash's flag. He also immediately raised a flag with a cross on it, signifying the need for medical assistance on the battlefield. Starmie's picture turned a grey shade as its light turned off, with a depressing _"Bing!"_

Yamouchi was devastated at the painful sight he saw. "STARMIE!" he yelled to his Pokemon. Sadly, he couldn't set foot onto the battle arena, or else it would mean a forfeit of the match. He was only able to look on as his horribly injured Pokemon waited for help.

Ash felt destroyed after what he was partly responsible for causing had happened. No matter the opponent, no Pokemon or Trainer was supposed to suffer through what had just happened, and he was the last person in the world who would purposely intend something like this. He felt terrible.

Professor Oak, observing the battle in the stands with the rest of Ash's friends, was shocked at what happened as well. "They need to have a first aid team on that Starmie immediately! Without prompt treatment that Starmie could very well die soon!"

Brock commented on what happened as well. "Yeah, they need to help it as soon as possible! Ash has been training non-stop, but he would never intend this on any Pokemon… It had to be an accident- just an attack that was placed a little too well, and timed a little too perfectly."

May and Max were also amazed, never seeing any sort of brutality in a Pokemon Battle before. They remained speechless, along with the rest of the crowd, waiting for help to arrive.

No more than thirty seconds after the attack, a first aid team quickly rushed onto the field and had the Starmie on a Pokemon Stretcher, into the nearby ambulance and on the way to the Pokemon Center E.R. for intensive treatment. A Starmie's lifespan after losing the jewel in the center of its body, or after the jewel breaking, is about the same as a bee's lifespan after being separated from it's stinger, unless treatment is initiated right away on the Starmie. So it's no mystery as to why the treatment of the injury was so prompt.

Yamouchi regretted his last attack. He should've launched another long-range attack instead of trying for short range, while allowing plenty of time for a counter attack from the incredibly strong opponent. He knew it wasn't Ash's fault; it was his own.

He looked on as his partner was carried away, brought down hard in the heat of battle. An encouraging cheering sound came from the crowd as everyone stood up in support of Starmie's full recovery.

"I'm really sorry about your Starmie!" Ash called to his father. "I never intended that to happen at all!" Ash's Feraligatr also made an apologetic sound towards Yamouchi.

"It was my fault for trying that attack Ash," his father responded. "I know it'll recover fast, it's the strongest partner I've ever had. Let's just continue the battle!"

The battle was getting more intense and unpredictable by the second, as each trainer now had five Pokemon each. Misty looked on at Ash, his hat that was given to her before the match now crumpled a bit in her hands.

---------

Wow, that was nuts! What else do I dare to do in this fic? You'll have to wait to find out!

I made this chapter much more detailed and longer too, and I feel pretty satisfied compared to my recent chapters.

Several Alphabet challenges, including my own, have been updated recently as well; I strongly urge your reading ventures in those fics as well!

Please review this fic- I need as much feedback as possible! I know I had absences several times, but 44 reviews since the first chapter in May? I need more feedback! I'm also out and about reading and reviewing myself. A lot of good stuff is emerging lately!

Thanks for the reading and reviews! I'll hopefully have the next chapter up by sometime next week!

Regards, and thanks again-

MoltresFeather


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